(China Science Daily/Feng Lifei)

The China Geological Survey (CGS) on Oct. 9 released a model of a fixed-wing airborne geophysical surveying aircraft which proves to be the first of this kind in the world - it can conduct magnetic, gravity surveys, take aerial photographs, and collect hyper-spectral remote sensing data, Science and Technology Daily reported on Oct.10.

The platform is workable under complicated meteorological conditions and different geographical conditions, and could be used in different fields such as detection of energy resources, mining, disaster emergency response, and management of natural resources, according to the CGS.

Since it was put into operation in October 2018, the aircraft has completed several missions in the Qiangtang River Basin in northwest China, and successfully carried out oil and gas exploration activities in the South China Sea.

The aircraft could fly at altitudes of 200 to 10,000 meters above the sea level, with a top speed of 500 kilometers per hour. The maximum range of the aircraft could reach 4,000 kilometers.

The investigation aircraft, renovated from the King Air 350ER, is an intellectual property item owned exclusively by China. It was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.